Hydrosols - preserved or unpreserved?
Since hydrosols are very susceptible to microorganisms once their container has been opened, it is advisable to use a preserved quality. You can find out exactly why this is the case here!
Microorganisms and spores
Microorganisms such as bacteria or molds multiply in aqueous media. If they find other substances they can use as "food," they can multiply rapidly and contaminate a product. Furthermore, plant raw materials, such as extracts, usually contain spores as well. These are extremely resistant and lead to mold growth when they encounter a suitable medium (e.g., in the final product—a cream or a serum).
Although hydrosols are distilled and are therefore relatively pure substances, it cannot be ruled out that they contain suspended matter or mucilage. This can lead to extremely rapid spoilage. If hydrosols are hot-filled, a certain shelf life can at least be guaranteed—but only until the original container is opened for the first time.
Unpreserved hydrosols should therefore only be used if they were bottled immediately after production and are processed in their entirety immediately after opening. Storing unpreserved hydrosols for a longer period and using them multiple times is not recommended.
Preservation of hydrosols
For this reason, hydrosols are sometimes also offered preserved. It is important to use a water-soluble preservative; otherwise, it would not be effective. If you would like to preserve a fresh hydrosol yourself in order to keep it for longer, we recommend our Preblend Aqua, for example. Another option is Pentylene Glycol; however, this is not quite as strong against mold and should be used at a concentration of at least 6% if used as the sole preservative.
An easier option is to buy a ready-preserved hydrosol. There are also great differences here. In some cases, synthetic preservatives are used—this, however, makes it impossible to use the hydrosol in certified natural cosmetic products.
As an alternative, a preservative blend of dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol is often used for this purpose. This is compliant with natural cosmetics, inexpensive, and offers good preservative performance. Unfortunately, it has a strong inherent odor, which can sometimes strongly distort the delicate scent of the hydrosols. In addition, benzyl alcohol can also be a problem for people with fragrance allergies.
The natural preservative
Our hydrosols from INNOMETICS are preserved immediately after production with Leucidal, a natural fermentation product that is also created during the production of kimchi.
Due to its natural origin and the complex production method of Leucidal, it is significantly more expensive than synthetic preservatives. This is, of course, reflected in the price of our hydrosols. In return, it is characterized by the following advantages:
- It is very skin-friendly,
- respects the natural microbiome of the skin,
- is approved for certified natural cosmetics
- and does not distort the scent of the hydrosol in any way.
Test the effect and the fragrance of our hydrosols yourself and see their high quality for yourself!
To our organic quality preserved hydrosols:
